Sunday, January 13, 2013

Surviving Loss

What do you say
to someone going through a loss.You may
have gone through it yourself at some point in your life.However, everyone’s loss is different;
everyone’s need is different; everyone’s relationship with the one that has
passed on is different; everyone’s loneliness or void in life from that loss is
different; everyone’s grieving process is different.

As with any loss
there is truly a void, and this void needs to be filled with something
good.There must be a mind-set; a mind-set
for joy in life, regardless of the circumstances.God is in control, and He tells us in
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans
to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.Then you will call upon me and come and pray
to me, and I will listen to you.You
will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” I believe, herein, lies the answer we seek.

When someone or
even your most treasured pet passes away, God has a reason.He is taking care of that loved one during
their season of need.Yet, God’s plan
for the one suffering through the loss is for them to fill that void with love
for Him.He still has plans to give you
hope and a future.God truly wants you to enjoy every moment.How do I know this?God says it in John 15: 11, “I have told you
this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” He follows it with the commandment, “Love each
other as I have loved you.”To do this
we have to follow the commandment to love God and other people. We must ‘set our minds’ to look outside of
ourselves- outside of our loss. Keep
in mind that loving other people, means loving yourself as well.Be good to yourself, allowing yourself to
have your moments of grief but set your mind to continue to enjoy life.

In Joyce Meyer’s
book, Power Thoughts, she states: With Jesus Himself speaking and
praying such powerful words about His desire for us to have joy, how could we
ever doubt that God wants us to be happy and enjoy our lives.If it is God’s desire that we enjoy life,
then why are so many people miserable and unhappy?Perhaps it is because we fail to set our
minds to enjoy life.We can easily fall
into a pattern of surviving and enduring rather than enjoying.But a new mind-set will release you to begin
enjoying life like never before.The
more you enjoy life the more enjoyable you will be.Meditate on and say repeatedly, “I live in
the present and enjoy each moment.”
To reinforce the fact that God intents for us to be joyful we find in John 10:10: "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

I understand
there must be a grieving process in death, but we must not allow our joy to be stolen and to fall into a pattern of surviving and enduring without “setting our minds” upon
enjoying life.

There is a quote I often use in my own life
when it seems I have to pull myself up and regain my own “mind-set”: “If God brought you to it, He will bring you through
it.” God will, indeed, give you the
victory through this journey! I also use one of my favorite scripture verses which is yet another reminder that God wants us to have joy in our daily lives. "This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Through the dark hours and the lonely days of loss, there is a hand stronger than ours which is reaching down to us. He can restore your joy as you set your mind to reach up and accept it.

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Author

While enjoying a successful career in the banking industry, I decided to share my experiences in writing. After publishing "Guys In Camo", I co-authored "So? Whatever! 365 Laughs and Devotionals" and "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Morgue."